The subject invention relates to novel imidazo-containing compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their therapeutic or preventative use in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, infectious and inflammatory diseases.
The subject invention includes compounds having the structure: 
wherein:
(a) R1 is selected from alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle;
(b) R2 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle;
(c) each R3 is independently selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, nitro, cyano, and unsubstituted or alkyl- or aryl- or heterocycle-substituted hydroxy, thio, amino, amide, formyl (acyl), carboxy, and carboxamide; two R3""s on adjacent carbons may optionally together be alkylene or heteroalkylene, thereby forming a fused ring with the phenyl to which they are attached;
(d) R4 is selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, and carboxy and its alkyl and aryl esters and amides:
(e) R7 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle;
(f) R8 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, alkylsulfonyl, and arylsulfonyl;
(g) A is aryl or heterocycle; and an optical isomer, diestereomer or enantiomer thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, or biohydrolyzable ester, amide or imide thereof.
The subject invention also includes compositions comprising a subject compound and a pharmaceutically-acceptable excipient; and methods for treating or preventing diseases or disorders by administering to a human or lower animal in need thereof, a safe and effective amount of a subject compound.
As used herein unless specified otherwise, xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d means a hydrocarbon chain which is branched, linear or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated (but not aromatic), substituted or unsubstituted. The term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d may be used alone or as part of another word where it may be shortened to xe2x80x9calkxe2x80x9d (e.g., in alkoxy, alkylacyl). Preferred linear alkyl have from one to about twenty carbon atoms, more preferably from one to about ten carbon atoms, more preferably still from one to about six carbon atoms, still more preferably from one to about four carbon atoms; most preferred are methyl or ethyl. Preferred cyclic and branched alkyl have from three to about twenty carbon atoms, more preferably from three to about ten carbon atoms, more preferably still from three to about seven carbon atoms, still more preferably from three to about five carbon atoms. Preferred cyclic alkyl have one hydrocarbon ring, but may have two, three, or more, fused hydrocarbon rings. Preferred alkyl are unsaturated with from one to about three double or triple bonds, preferably double bonds; more preferably they are mono-unsaturated with one double bond. Still more preferred alkyl are saturated. Saturated alkyl are referred to herein as xe2x80x9calkanylxe2x80x9d. Alkyl unsaturated only with one or more double bonds (no triple bonds) are referred to herein as xe2x80x9calkenylxe2x80x9d. Preferred substituents of alkyl include halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, thio, alkylthio, arylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, amide, alkylamide, arylamide, formyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, carboxy and its alkyl and aryl esters and amides, nitro, and cyano. Also, unsubstituted alkyl are preferred.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cheteroatomxe2x80x9d means a nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atom.
As used herein, xe2x80x9calkylenexe2x80x9d means an alkyl which connects two other moieties, xe2x80x9cheteroalkylenexe2x80x9d means an alkylene having one or more heteroatoms in the connecting chain.
As used herein unless specified otherwise, xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d means an aromatic hydrocarbon ring (or fused rings) which is substituted or unsubstituted. The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d may be used alone or as part of another word (e.g., in aryloxy, arylacyl). Preferred aryl have from six to about fourteen, preferably to about ten, carbon atoms in the aromatic ring(s), and a total of from about six to about twenty, preferably to about twelve, carbon atoms. Preferred aryl is phenyl or naphthyl; most preferred is phenyl. Preferred substituents of aryl include halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, thio, alkylthio, arylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, amide, alkylamide, arylamide, formyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, carboxy and its alkyl and aryl esters and amides, nitro, and cyano. Also. unsubstituted aryl are preferred.
As used herein unless specified otherwise, xe2x80x9cheterocyclexe2x80x9d means a saturated, unsaturated or aromatic cyclic hydrocarbon ring (or fused rings) with one or more heteroatoms in the hydrocarbon ring(s). Preferred heterocycles have from one to about six heteroatoms in the ring(s), more preferably one or two or three heteroatoms in the ring(s). Preferred heterocycles have from three to about fourteen, preferably to about ten, carbon plus heteroatoms in the ring(s), more preferably from three to about seven, more preferably still five or six, carbon plus heteroatoms in the rings(s); and a total of from three to about twenty carbon plus heteroatoms, more preferably from three to about ten, more preferably still five or six, carbon plus heteroatoms. Preferred heterocycles have one ring, but may have two, three, or more, fused rings. More preferred heterocycle rings include those which are one ring with 5 or 6 carbon plus heteroatoms in the ring with no more than three ring heteroatoms, no more than two of which are O and S. Still more preferred are such 5- or 6-ring atom heterocycles with one or two ring atoms being O or S and the others being C; or with one, two or three ring atoms being N and the others being C. Such preferred 5- or 6-ring atom heterocycles are preferably saturated, unsaturated with one or two double bonds, or aromatic. Such preferred 5- or 6-ring atom heterocycles are preferably a single ring; or fused with a 3- to 6-ring atom hydrocarbon ring which is saturated, unsaturated with one double bond, or aromatic (phenyl); or fused with another such 5- or 6-ring atom heterocyclic ring. Heterocycles are unsubstituted or substituted. Preferred heterocycle substituents are the same as for alkyl.
The subject invention involves compounds having the following structure: 
In structure 1, R1 is selected from alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle. Preferred R1 includes linear alkanyl having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, linear alkenyl having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, and branched and cyclic alkanyl and alkenyl having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, such alkenyl preferably having 1 double bond. Such preferred alkanyl and alkenyl are preferably unsubstituted or substituted; if substituted, preferably with aryl, heterocycle, amino, hydroxy, cyano, carboxy and its esters and amides; more preferably with phenyl, heterocycle having 5 or 6 ring atoms, carboxy and its C1-C6 alkyl and phenyl esters, or cyano. More preferably such alkanyl and alkenyl have up to about 5 carbon atoms, more preferably still up to 4 carbon atoms. More preferred R1 is methyl, ethyl or isopropyl. Most preferred R1 is unsubstituted methyl.
In structure 1, R2 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle. Preferred R2 includes hydrogen, linear alkanyl having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, linear alkenyl having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, and branched and cyclic alkanyl and alkenyl having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, such alkenyl preferably having 1 double bond. Such preferred alkanyl and alkenyl are preferably unsubstituted or substituted; if substituted, preferably with aryl, heterocycle, amino, hydroxy, cyano, carboxy and its esters and amides; more preferably with phenyl, heterocycle having 5 or 6 ring atoms, carboxy and its C1-C6 alkyl and phenyl esters, or cyano. More preferably such alkanyl and alkenyl have up to about 5 carbon atoms, more preferably still up to 4 carbon atoms. More preferred R1 is methyl, ethyl or isopropyl. Most preferred R1 is hydrogen.
In structure 1, each R3 is each independently selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, nitro and cyano; also from hydroxy, thio, amino, amide, formyl (acyl), carboxy, and carboxamide which are unsubstituted or substituted, preferably with alkyl or aryl or heterocycle; or two R3 together are alkylene or heteroalkylene attached to adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl ring, thereby forming a cycloalkyl or aryl or heterocycle ring which is fused to the phenyl ring. Preferred R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, thio, alkylthio, arylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, amide, alkylamide, arylamide, formyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, carboxy and its alkyl or aryl esters and amides; more preferably from hydrogen, halo, C1-C4 alkyl, thio, C1-C4 alkylthio, C1-C4 mono-or dialkylamino, and C1-C4 alkylacyl. More preferred is for from one to three R3""s being halo, the others being hydrogen. Also more preferred is for from one to three R3""s being methyl or ethyl, the others being hydrogen. Also preferred is one R3 being dialkylamino, the alkyls having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, preferably from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and the others being hydrogen, such R3 preferably being attached to the 4xe2x80x2 carbon. More preferred still is for from one to three R3""s being independently selected from F, Cl and Br, the others being hydrogen; still more preferred, when two or three R3""s are F, Cl or Br, they are the same. Also more preferred is from one to three R3""s being unsubstituted methyl, the others being hydrogen. Also more preferred is one or two R3""s being trifluoromethyl, the others being hydrogen.
Also preferred are two R3""s which are attached to adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl ring, together being a saturated or unsaturated alkylene or heteroalkylene having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and from 0 to about 3 heteroatoms, thus forming a ring fused to the phenyl, such ring having from about 5 to about 8 ring atoms. Such ring fused to the phenyl preferably has from about 5 to about 6 ring atoms of which from 0 to 2, more preferably 0 or 1, are heteroatoms. Preferred fused rings (including the phenyl to which the R3""s are attached) include naphthyl, indolyl, benzimidazoyl, benzofuryl, benzopyranyl. When two R3""s form a ring fused with the phenyl, other R3""s are preferably H.
In structure 1, R4 is selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, carboxy and its alkyl esters and amides. Preferred R4 is selected from hydrogen, halo, C1-C4 alkyl, phenyl. More preferred R4 is selected from hydrogen and unsubstituted and substitituted phenyl; substituents on such phenyl are preferably selected from hydroxy, alkoxy, thio and alkylthio. Most preferred R4 is hydrogen.
In structure 1, R7 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle. Non-hydrogen R7 are preferably phenyl, or alkyl having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms. Such non-hydrogen R7 are preferably unsubstituted. Alkyl R7 are preferably saturated. More preferably R7 is hydrogen.
In structure 1, R8 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, alkylsulfonyl, and arylsulfonyl. Preferred R8 is selected from hydrogen; C1-C6 alkyl, such alkyl being saturated or unsaturated with one double bond and unsubstituted or substituted with phenyl; C1-C6 alkylacyl, the alkyl being saturated or unsaturated with one double bond; and phenylacyl. More preferred is the alkyl portions of the aforementioned moieties being C1-C4 and saturated. More preferred still is R8 being methyl. Most preferred R8 is hydrogen.
In structure 1, A is aryl or heterocycle. Preferred A includes phenyl, naphthyl, furyl, pyridinyl, pyrrolyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and imidazolyl; more preferred are phenyl and naphthyl. Also preferred A is phenyl fused with a heterocycle; preferred heterocycles fused with phenyl include furyl, thienyl, dioxanyl, thiazolyl, imidazolyl, pyridinyl, pyrrolyl, pyrrolidinyl, and piperidinyl. When A is phenyl fused with another ring, A is preferably attached to the remainder of structure 1 at a carbon of the phenyl, and the heterocycle ring is preferably fused at any other two adjacent carbon atoms of the phenyl, more preferably at carbons 3-4 of the phenyl.
Each ring carbon of A is unsubstituted or substituted; preferably no more than three ring carbons of A are substituted; more preferably no more than one ring carbon of A is substituted. Preferred substituents of A, when A is phenyl or naphthyl, are selected from halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, cyano and nitro; also from hydroxy, thio, amino, amide, amido, formyl (acyl), carboxy, carboxamide, and sulfonamide which are unsubstituted or substituted, preferably with alkyl or aryl or heterocycle. More preferred substituents of phenyl and naphthyl A are selected from halo, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, thio, alkylthio, arylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, amide, alkylamide, arylamide, sulfonamide, alkylsulfonamide, arylsulfonamide, formyl, alkylacyl, arylacyl, carboxy and its alkyl and aryl esters and amides; more preferred still from halo, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, thio, C1-C4 alkylthio, C1-C4 alkyl esters and amides of carboxy, phenyl, and heterocycle having 5 or 6 ring atoms 1-3 of which are heteroatoms. Preferred substituents of A when A is heterocycle are selected from alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, and aryloxy. More preferred substituents of heterocycle A are selected from C1-C4 alkyl or C1-C4 alkoxy.
The subject invention includes optical isomers, diastereomers, and enantiomers of the compounds of structure 1. The subject invention includes pharmaceutically-acceptable salts, hydrates, and biohydrolizable esters, amides and imides of such compounds.
A xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically-acceptable saltxe2x80x9d is a cationic salt formed at any acidic group (e.g., carboxy group), or an anionic salt formed at any basic group (e.g., amino group) on a compound of structure 1. Many pharmaceutically-acceptable salts are known. Preferred cationic salts include the alkali metal salts, such as sodium and potassium, alkaline earth metal salts, such as magnesium and calcium, and organic salts, such as ammonium. Preferred anionic salts include halides, sulfonates, carboxolates, phosphates, and the like. Salts of addition may provide an optical center where once there was none.
The compounds of the subject invention, and salts thereof, may have one or more chiral centers. The invention includes all optical isomers of the compounds of structure 1 and salts thereof, including diastereomers and enanteomers The subject invention includes and contemplates each optical isomer, diastereomer or enanteomer thereof, in purified form, substantially purified form, and mixtures, including racemic mixtures.
Preferred compounds of the subject invention include those having structure 2: 
In structure 2, R1, R2, R3""s, R7, and A are as described hereinabove.
In structure 2, R1 is preferably selected from linear alkanyl having from one to four carbon atoms, linear alkenyl having one double bond and from two to four carbon atoms, branched and cyclic alkanyl having from three to five carbon atoms, and branched and cyclic alkenyl having one double bond and from three to five carbon atoms. Such preferred R1 is unsubstituted or substituted with one phenyl, more preferably is unsubstituted. More preferred R1 is selected from methyl, ethyl, ethenyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-propenyl, i-propenyl, s-butyl, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, and cyclopentyl. More preferred still R1 is selected from methyl, ethyl, ethenyl, i-propyl, and n-propenyl. Still more preferred R1 is methyl.
In structure 2, R2 is preferably hydrogen or includes the same preferences of moieties as stated for R1 in the immediately preceding paragraph, R2 being independent of R1. More preferred R2 is hydrogen or the same as R1. Most preferred R2 is hydrogen.
In structure 2, the R3""s are preferably selected from all hydrogen; mono-, di-, or trihalo, preferably selected from fluoro, chloro and bromo, preferably in one or more of the 2xe2x80x2, 3xe2x80x2, 4xe2x80x2 and 5xe2x80x2 positions; mono- di-, and trimethyl, preferably in one or more of the 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2 and 6xe2x80x2 positions; and mono- or di-trifluoromethyl, preferably in one or both of the 3xe2x80x2 and 5xe2x80x2 positions. Also preferred is one R3 being diakylamino, preferably in the 4xe2x80x2 position, the two alkyls preferably being the same and preferably having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and the other R3""s being hydrogen. More preferred combinations of R3""s are selected from 4xe2x80x2-fluoro, 4xe2x80x2-chloro, 4xe2x80x2-bromo, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-difluoro, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dichloro, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dibromo, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-triflouro, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-trichloro, 3xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-difluoro, 3xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dichloro, 3xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dibromo, 4xe2x80x2-methyl, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dimethyl, 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2,6xe2x80x2-trimethyl, 3xe2x80x2-trifluoromethyl, 3xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-di-trifluoromethyl, and 4xe2x80x2-dibutylamino; in each cased all other R3""s being hydrogen. Also preferred R3 combinations are selected from 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dihalo and 3xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dihalo, where one halo is selected from fluoro, chloro, and bromo, and the other halo is a different one of those three; more preferably one of such halo is fluoro, all other R3""s having hydrogen. Most preferred R3 combinations are selected from 4xe2x80x2-chloro, 4xe2x80x2-bromo, and 2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2-dichloro, all other R3""s being hydrogen.
In structure 2, R7 is preferably hydrogen or methyl.
In structure 2, A is preferably unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, naphthyl, or pyridyl; more preferably substituted phenyl, or unsubstituted naphthyl, or unsubstituted 2-pyridyl.
Non-limiting examples of compounds of the subject invention include those of structure 2 wherein R2 is H and R1, R3""s, R7, and A are as indicated in the following table (R3""s not specified are all hydrogen):
In addition, it is recognized that for purification, administration, and the like, the salts and other derivatives of the above compounds can be used. Thus a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, hydrate, or biohydrolizable ester, amide or imide thereof is contemplated as part of the subject invention.
In making the compounds of the subject invention, the order of synthetic steps may be varied to increase yield of desired product. The skilled artisan will recognize that the judicious choice of reactants, solvents, and temperatures is important in successful synthesis. The starting materials used in preparing the subject compounds are known, made by known methods, or are commercially available.
It is recognized that the skilled artisan can readily carry out standard manipulations of organic compounds without further direction. These include, but are not limited to, reduction, oxidation, acylation, substitution, etherification, esterification, sulfonation, and the like. Examples of these manipulations are discussed in standard texts.
The following general schemes can be used for synthesizing compounds of the subject invention. In these schemes, R1, R2, R3, R4, R7, R8, and A are as defined hereinabove. Non-conventional symbols and abbreviations for other moieties and chemicals, which may not be clear to the skilled chemist, are defined in the Examples hereinbelow. 